Not So Nerdy After All
by GhostsThough
Summary: Heather never expected this from Astrid. Then again, Astrid was always full of surprises. She just didn't think it would involve roller derby. SEQUEL to When You Smile I Melt Inside. Heather x Astrid; ONE SHOT


When Heather had told Astrid to pick somewhere for their next date, she didn't expect this.

Pulling up outside the Community Center, it was hard to miss the banner advertising "Women Rollers Bout TONIGHT" outside the entrance.

"Roller derby?" Heather asked in amazement, eyes wide and jaw slack.

"Yup." Astrid grinned, turning off the car. She glanced over at her girlfriend. "Are you… _okay_ with this?"

"Okay with this? It's more than okay! I like nothing more than seeing girls skating and beating each other up." At the odd look she received from Astrid from her excitement, she cleared her throat and shrugged. "I mean, I really like roller derby."

"I can tell," Astrid said, giggling behind her hand as they got out of the car.

Several people crossed the park lot, heading inside. Some were bigger fans than others. Heather winced when she saw a bunch of guys with blue letters painted across their chests run to the ticket booth, hooting and overall making a spectacle of themselves. She and Astrid shared a look of exasperation.

When they got to the ticket booth, the girls there were evidently players as they wore skates and had all of their equipment on sans the mouth guards. They eyed Astrid and Heather as they approached with smirks on their faces.

"Hello Astrid," one spoke as she took Astrid's proffered money. Heather raised an eyebrow when they didn't mention Astrid paying for only one adult. Plus, how did this player know Astrid? Did she really frequent these bouts enough to know them? "Is this yer girlie?"

"My girlfriend, yes," Astrid confirmed.

Heather smiled politely and held out her hand for the two to shake. "My name's Heather."

"Heather…" the other parroted, nodding to herself. She shook Heather's hand when it came to her. "I like your tats."

"Thank you," Heather said, flicking her eyes over to Astrid. The girl was talking to the other skater with square shoulders and a stance that Heather hadn't seen the girl take on only a few occasions. She was used to seeing Astrid shrink in on herself during social events, so the change was a little weird. Maybe it was the stimulating atmosphere the place seemed to exude with the pumping music and busy bodies walking around, waiting for the bout to start.

The two left as soon as Heather got her ticket. When Heather asked why Astrid didn't get one, she mumbled something about free passes but said nothing more. Soon they were finding their seats near the front. A yellow line of tape bordered off the rink, with a paper sign warning that anyone 18 or below had to stay behind the yellow line due to roller derby players flying into the audience. Heather smirked and took a seat inside the yellow line, which had a red line of tape a short distance ahead warning that you couldn't get any closer than that. It was awesome that they had to warn people of players flying out the track from being hit so hard.

As time went by and it came closer to the game beginning, Astrid excused herself at the five minute mark.

"I'll be back," she said, and pecked Heather on the lips. Heather blinked dumbly for a moment. Okay, seriously, this place was doing something to her girl. Although Astrid had shown confidence in taking the initiative before, in public these actions always resulted from Heather starting it, not Astrid. To have her outright smooch Heather in front of anyone caused a blush to creep along her cheeks and smirk to spread across her face. She liked it.

Soon after Astrid left, the game's begun. The visiting team was introduced first; they skated in a pack along the track, only breaking away whenever the announcer introduced their roller derby name. Heather looked around, not paying much attention.

"Where are you Astrid?" she murmured with a frown.

Very soon the home team came onto the track, but Heather didn't notice.

"…and Astrid SMASH!"

Heather's breath caught in her throat, and she whipped her head around to face the rink.

Breaking away from the pack was none other than Astrid Hofferson, decked out in roller derby gear. Heather's jaw dropped because boy did she look _hot_. Astrid had her contacts in, her blue roller derby jersey had tears up the side showing off her pale skin and a black sports bra, and her shorts…they were definitely daisy dukes, with fishnet stocks traveling down her long legs all the way to her skates, which were black and had toe stop covers with skulls on the front.

She looked over at Heather, saw her watching, and flashed a saucy wink with a grin that was partially ruined by her bulky mouth guard. Heather felt her whole face flush and her fingers twitch with the need to run up there and squeeze this girl to her. She didn't know that Astrid played roller derby. Sure, sports had come up in their conversations before but Astrid had never brought it up. She guessed Astrid rather show than tell. If that didn't make Heather's heart beat faster then she didn't what else did. She couldn't help the huge smile that spread across face, or the excitable waving she did back.

A part of her really wanted to stand up and scream, _"THAT'S MY GIRL!"_ like soccer moms at a soccer game for five year olds. But she kept her lips sealed, and watched as the game's begun.

Astrid barely sat out during the four quarters; in fact, most of the time she was jammer (1), having the technique and size to easily slip through the other team's blockers (2). At one point though, she was hit so hard she came flying into the audience. And even more ironically enough, right in front of Heather.

She just gave Heather a confident smile and got back up, using her toe stop to run back onto the track before easily maneuvering back to her wheels. Astrid certainly knew how to skate, with her expert twirls and dodges that displayed fancy footwork to execute.

Heather seriously had to come to more of her bouts.

The game continued like this until the end, with Astrid's team coming out victorious. They did their annual clapping hands with the opposing players before doing a victory lap around the rink. On the last lap, Astrid skated right towards Heather at full speed. At last minute, she did a double knee fall onto her knee pads, and easily slid to Heather the rest of the way. Her knees pads bumped into Heather's feet.

The goth smacked Astrid's arm with a smirk. "Don't ever do that again!"

Astrid laughed, taking out her mouth guard. It was all gross and drooly, but Heather didn't really pay it any mind.

"So _Astrid Smash_ , huh?" Heather asked with a smile.

Astrid nodded with a huge smile. "Yup, had that ever since I joined the junior league at eleven."

"I can't believe you do roller derby."

"Didn't expect that from your nerd, huh?"

"Oh shut up." Heather roller her eyes with a grin. "I loved it. You're really good at skating, and the way you took all those hits…" _And gave those hits_ , Heather internally squealed like a fan girl. She kept her lips sealed though. There was time for that later when she was at home and could bury her face in her pillow.

"Well, I have you here watching. I _had_ to woman up and take the hits in order to impress you."

"Babe, you impressed me the moment I first saw you. But today, I was amazed. You just looked…so _you_ on the track, it makes me happy."

Astrid blushed a cherry red, making Heather giggle. "There's my blushing lil' nerd," she teased.

"Shut it you," Astrid ordered with a chuckle. "So I take it you would like to come again?"

"Hell yes! Watching you out there pummeling those other girls was so exciting. We definitely have to do this again sometime," Heather said with excitement, fist pumping a few times to emphasize her point.

Astrid continued watching her girlfriend chatter excitedly with a warm smile across her face, before finally choosing to truly shut her up with a kiss. Heather gasped from the suddenness, but easily fell into it. Somewhere in the background, she heart cat-calling and wolf whistles from Astrid teammates. Astrid flipped them off over her shoulder, not stopping the kiss.

The nerd wasn't so much a nerd after all.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **(1) Jammer: The one who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team**

 **(2) Blockers: The ones who stay together in the pack, pushing at the opposing team (with their shoulders and hips) in order to let their jammer through or forming walls to block the other team's jammer.**

 **How do I know this? I play roller derby.**

 **So this wasn't beta'd and was quickly typed up before I had to go to work. I'll probably make changes as soon as I get home. (I officially start my two jobs today – babysitting my boss' two kids and working at the library, which I have done all year.) I hope you liked! I may do more one shots if people want. Just send me a prompt! I love these two.**


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